Washington [US], June 29 : Teyana Taylor was overcome with emotion after music legend Janet Jackson made a surprise appearance to present her with the Icon of the Year Award at the 2026 BET Awards, delivering one of the night's most memorable moments.
Taylor, who said she had no idea Jackson would be presenting the honour, became emotional as she walked on stage to accept the award.
"Oh my God. B**ch, I'm gagging," Taylor said, adding, "They did not tell me Janet was coming, b**ch, and it's so crazy because when Kehlani said, 'Janet is here,' I said, b**ch, is that the surprise? I wasn't sure!" as quoted by the Hollywood Reporter.
She immediately thanked Jackson, calling the global superstar her "biggest inspiration."
"I love you so much. Thank you, thank you, thank you for always seeing me. Thank you for every text, every hug, every talk. You are my biggest inspiration," Taylor said while accepting the award.
"Everybody who knows me know how I feel about you, the fact that you even took up the time to be here to celebrate with me, this is crazy. I love you so much. Like, you don't even understand," she said, as per The Hollywood Reporter.
Reflecting on receiving the Icon of the Year title after two decades in the entertainment industry, Taylor admitted she initially questioned whether she was ready to embrace the recognition.
"But no, I worked my a*s off 20 years for this," she said, adding, "So I'm not accepting what I've earned with arrogance; I'm accepting what I've earned with gratitude. And this year alone, I continue to give the world the artist, actress, director, choreographer, creative director, stylist, designer, writer, producer and chef!"
Taylor also joked about her recent culinary school journey, saying, "I graduated in September, y'all."
During her speech, the actress and multi-hyphenate reflected on supporting others throughout her career.
"Most of my career has been spent building my own dream while helping somebody else build theirs because I believe there's room for all of us to win," she said, as quoted by The Hollywood Reporter.
She added that the entertainment industry can be "very wicked" but stressed the importance of collaboration over competition.
"It teaches us to compete. But I've never believed that my success had to cause someone else's theirs. If I know something, I should teach it. If I open the door, I should hold it. If I have a platform, I should make room for another voice," she said.
Taylor concluded by thanking her parents and dedicating the honour to her daughters, Junie and Rue.
"To my greatest masterpiece, my babies, Junie and Rue. If one day people remember me as an icon, I pray the two of you always remember me simply as home," she said.
"Mommy loves you so, so much. I love you, and you better be watching me and off them goddamn phones, per usual," she said.
Before presenting the award, Jackson praised Taylor's work ethic, artistic vision and achievements.
"It seems like only yesterday a rose from Harlem grew out of the concrete and blossomed into our Icon of the Year," Jackson said, adding, "I've enjoyed watching you, as you know, over the years. Watching you defy expectations, rewrite the rules and lead with an unstoppable work ethic."
She continued, "You possess an unflinching perfectionism, a devotion woven into everything you touch. Your focus and vision summon into being what most would call impossible. You carry a calling from above, and the world is made more luminous with the art that you have given it. This year, it belongs to you," as quoted by The Hollywood Reporter.
Jackson also highlighted Taylor's recent achievements, including her Grammy nomination for 'Escape Room', multiple honours for her performance in 'One Battle After Another', and her Golden Globe win for Best Supporting Actress, while acknowledging her role as a mother of two.
The honour capped a landmark year for Taylor, who received her first Oscar nomination and Golden Globe recognition for One Battle After Another.
At the 2026 BET Awards, she also won the Fashion Vanguard Award, Best Actress and Video Director of the Year.
Speaking about her career journey in a recent interview, Taylor reflected on the significance of the moment.
"You can see my patience being in this game since I was 15, doing a little bit of everything. This moment hits a lot harder than it would've if everything had gone my way when I wanted it to," she said, as per The Hollywood Reporter.
The 2026 BET Awards aired live on Sunday, June 28, from the Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles.